Councillors and public kneel in respect at vigil over George Floyd killing

People gathered outside Sandwell Council House, in Oldbury, for the vigil honouring the African-American man killed by a police officer in the US city of Minneapolis.

Everyone who was able to do so took a knee for eight minutes and 46 seconds - the length of time the police knelt on Mr Floyd's neck.

More than 40 people attended the vigil, with all 24 Sandwell council wards represented by at least one councillor, and with social distancing observed throughout.

Councillor Jackie Taylor, the first African-Caribbean councillor in the borough for Greets Green and Lyng, organised the vigil and spoke about how the reasons for holding it.

She said: "We, as a council, stand in solidarity with George Floyd, his family, and with all other black people, men and women, who have died at the hands of the people that they should be safe with.

"I've been the only African Caribbean councillor here in Sandwell for five years and, for me, it's a privilege to be the voice of black people here in Sandwell.

"But what's more important is for me to challenge people to look at every infrastructure of this country and question why it is that we are not seeing the diverse representation in our workplace."

Council Leader Yvonne Davies was among those taking a knee and spoke about how councillor Taylor helped her to get a better understanding of black lives and discrimination.

She said: "Jackie is an extraordinary woman and always brings a flavour of her life into her work, so you do have a better understanding.

"I am not black and I have no experience of what it's like being black, but Jackie can bring to the table peoples real experiences and help us better understand how people are affected by it."

Councillors Rajbir Singh and Shaheen Akhtar also gave their thoughts on what the vigil meant to them and why they were in attendance.

Councillor Singh said: "It means standing in solidarity with the family of George Ford, and it's about all the Black Lives that's been lost because of the cruelty or discrimination of police or any department in any country."

Councillor Akhtar said: "The scenes that were made available for people to see were heart wrenching and the thought of that sort of brutality existing in today's society is not unrealistic.

"I'm glad we're all here today and we've all come here to stand in silence together."

Councillor Taylor, who has Jamaican heritage, said going forward, policy and the educational systems needed to change to reflect the subject of racism.

She said: "It's not only for the good of black people, it's for the good of everybody and I would just like to say black lives matter."